Burried Deep
by CarrieCarrie
Summary: Something is bothering Cassie, and Allie has noticed. What will happen when what has been bothering her makes her take a fall in the wrong place at the wrong time, and how will they both cope, considering her life will never be the same again?
1. Chapter 1

1.

Allie sat on the medal bench at Westwood Gymnastics Club. She reached down and pressed the play button on the stereo system. The music boomed over the speakers and Allie turned on her camera. The camera focused in on Cassie as she sprang across the floor in back handsprings. Every move was on time. It was almost like Cassie had become a part of the music, her small frame moving, jumping, and flipping to the beat. The song ended, and Allie closed her film. Allie got up to give Cassie a hug, but the coach beat her to it.

"That was amazing, Cassidy; definitely your best."

"Thanks, I thought so to."

"Practice is over. See you tomorrow at four."

Cassie packed up and she and Allie began the short walk home.

"That was amazing Cassie, like always."

"Thanks. Come on, hurry up. We just might actually make it home in time for Glee tonight," Cassie said as she leapt into a fast walk.

It was 8:00 P.M. and Cassie had been through training since 4:00 P.M., an even earlier from 4:30-7:30 A.M. Even though she was her best friend, Allie had always admired Cassie for fighting to be at the top. Allie felt her phone vibrate in the pocket of her jeans. She checked the caller ID, _Mom. _Tempted to press ignore, Allie sighed and pressed accept as she raised the phone to her ear.

"Hey mom," She said

"Allie, when will you be home? How's your homework."

"Um, well I haven't exactly-

"Allie, do you mean to tell me its 8:00 and you haven't even started your homework?"

"Well, I wanted to watch Cassie today. She was extremely good- as always."

Cassie rolled her eyes and gave her a "please don't" look.

"Allie, if you can't finish your homework in four hours, you will not be watching Glee at Cassie's house."

"But mom, that's-

"Fair," Allie's mom answered.

Allie sighed and hung up.

"Sorry Cass, I've got to go. I forgot to do my homework at the gym. Guess I'll have to watch Glee on record again," Allie said.

"So what are you having for dinner tonight," Allie asked. She hoped it wasn't Cassie's mother's famous pulled pork. If Allie had to miss that for homework, it would be more tragic than Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.

"I have no idea what my parents are having, but I'm going for a salad," Cassie answered.

"What! You've practiced one of the most vigorous sports in the world seven hours today and all you're having for dinner is part of a tree?"

"Yeah, but salad can give you a lot of energy actually."

"Well, last time I checked, you had to eat calories to gain energy, in which salad has, like, none," Allie said.

"Just trust me on this, Al," Cassie replied. Allie sighed. Cassie hadn't seemed her super sparkly, energetic self lately, except for when she did gymnastics. Allie had wanted to ask what was wrong, but it was probably pointless. Cassie trained hard, and Allie wouldn't blame her for being tired. Allie stared desperately through a window as the simple title for Glee flashed onto the coffee-table sized TV. She put her head down and walked on. If she got stuck watching Glee on record, she at least wanted to be surprised.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Allie slammed her locker door and rushed down the hallway. She had to catch Cassie before class started. Allie searched through the crowded hallways for an unmistakable lock of shiny blonde hair. Finally, she spotted it. Cassie was standing by her locker, sorting through several books. Allie ran up to her.

"Cassie, I can't come to the gym today, I have to-

Suddenly, Cassie shoved a brown paper sack in Allie's face. Allie cautiously took the sack and peered inside, a bag of baby carrots, some Cheetos, and a tub of pulled pork.

"Cassie, what's this?" She asked suspiciously.

"Oh, I had a huge breakfast, so I'm skipping lunch. I know it's your favorite, so feel free to dig in."

Allie felt strange taking the prized gymnast's lunch, even though she wasn't really "taking" it.

"Um, no thanks Cassie. It's your lunch, not mine."

Allie handed the sack back to Cassie and adjusted the heavy text books in her arms to keep them from scattering onto the floor.

"Well, see you after class, I guess. You can fill me in on Glee later."

"Okay, see you," Cassie said half heartedly.

Allie watched Cassie head off to class, taking the brown sack with her. Just as she entered the 7th Grade Science room, she carelessly through the bag in the trash can. It was no big deal. Allie had felt the same way a couple times. Cassie was just being normal, right?


	3. Chapter 3

3.

As Allie predicted, since Cassie wasn't eating lunch, she wasn't at lunch either. Allie guessed she was probably turning cartwheels on the soccer field. Of course, last time Cassie decided to do that, she ended up taking a punted ball to the head, but it was one of the reasons Allie liked Cassie so much. She could have some major painful injuries doing something one day, then wake up the next day and do it again. Allie sat at one of the empty round lunch tables that was angled directly under the cafeteria skylight. Starting from the detention she got from being late to first period class, all the way to the zero on the missing homework assignment right before lunch, a little sunlight was exactly what Allie needed in her day. Allie wished Cassie would have at least came to lunch and sat with her. She hated being alone, but she wasn't alone for long. Halfway into her sandwich, Tory Lambert, who was known for her rare use of the comma or period when she talked, plopped down in the seat next to Allie's.

"HeyAlliewhat'supIheardthatCassiewon'tbeatlunchtodaythat'stoobadC-''sChristaHeyChristaOverhe-re!

Christa Cunningham, also known as Polly the Polar bear, the school mascot, walked over and set a metal, bumper sticker covered thermos down on the table. Besides spending most of her Friday nights in a hot Polar bear head, Christa went to the same Gymnastics center as Cassie and placed second when they were compared. It didn't take long for Allie to realize that lunch was a drag without Cassie. Allie quickly forced down the rest of her sandwich and got up from the table, saying goodbye to Christa and Tory. She had to go find Cassie. Allie walked to the soccer field, but Cassie wasn't there like Allie had thought she'd been. She figured she could use the rest of lunch time doing her homework so she would be able to go to the gym with Cassie that afternoon. As Allie walked back to the main building, she passed the school's cardio and weightlifting gym. Through the smudged glass windows, she saw Cassie on one of the treadmills. Cassie, who had changed into her gym uniform, was running hard at what was probably level 9 of 10 on the treadmills speed meter. Allie thought about going in to the gym and joining Cassie, but there was only 30 minutes left of lunch, and Cassie was shutting down the treadmill and going to the locker rooms anyway to shower. Allie continued to the main building. Why had Cassie skipped lunch to exercise? Didn't she get enough exercise already, and if she didn't, why couldn't she just-

"UGGHH!" Cassie screamed, irritated.

Thanks to a camouflaged branch, Cassie had just tripped in a lake sized mud puddle, and her new red ballet flats were ruined. It was official. This day couldn't get any worse.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

"Hey, Cass!"

Allie, late as usual, ran down the hallway to Cassie's locker. Cassie gave Allie a weary smile. Allie examined Cassie from head to toe. Her baggy cargos and dress sized T Shirt were not Cassie's normal preppy style and the bags under her eyes clearly stated 'I haven't slept in days'.

"Wow, what happened to you? You look terrible," Allie said

"Thanks a lot. I appreciate that," Cassie said sarcastically as she turned back to her locker.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. What I meant was, you look really tired."

"I barely slept last night. I'm so glad you decided not to come to the gym with me yesterday, or else you would have possibly gotten by terrible beam dismount on camera!"

"If I had, I would have edited it out. What happened, anyway?"

"I didn't push off enough on the last back handspring and ended up landing on my butt," Cassie explained.

"How did that happen? That sounds really unlike you," Allie said.

"I know, but it was the end of practice and I guess I was just really tired,"

"Then why didn't you sleep last night," Allie asked.

"I was in the basement working on my beam dismount, and from there, it just got worse."

Allie sighed.

"Maybe you shouldn't have used the whole lunch period to exercise yesterday, then," Allie said exasperated. For as smart as Cassie was, she could still act pretty dumb at times. Cassie looked at her suspiciously.

"How did you know where I was?" She asked.

"I barely eat anymore. Lunch sucks without you," Allie said, hoping to brighten up Cassie's day just the tiniest bit, but it didn't seem to work, because Cassie still had the same look on her face.

"Speaking of lunch," She said, reaching into her locker. Allie dreaded what was coming next. Cassie pulled out a brown paper sack labeled CASSIE'S LUNCH in neat all caps, obviously done by her mother. Cassie slowly began to push the lunch towards Allie.

"Cassie, this is the third day you've tried to give your lunch to me. I'm not taking it," She said coldly.

"But why not? My mom packs really good desserts. You said that yourself."

"Well maybe _you_ should be eating those desserts," Allie said.

"I don't want to," Cassie answered.

Allie sighed. If there was an Olympic Games for being stubborn, Cassie would take the gold medal.

"Fine, you don't have to eat it, but I'm not eating it either. Will you at least sit with me today? I don't think I can take Tory alone for much longer."

"You're not alone. You have Christa," Cassie said

"Big difference that makes. Anyway, will you please sit with me today, just this once," Cassie sighed and stared into her locker before gently closing it.

"Fine, but just today," Cassie said. Allie began to rejoice but was cut off by the bell.

Lunch rolled around, and Allie walked into the cafeteria with Cassie close at her heels. Allie set a brown lunch bag (her own) down on the table while Cassie tossed hers in the trash and took the seat next to her.

"So, do you want to go see a movie tonight? My mom could take us," Allie asked.

"Can't, gymnastics," Cassie answered.

"How about tomorrow night?"

"Gymnastics"

"Sunday afternoon?"

"Gymnastics"

Allie peeled the crust off of her ham and Swiss cheese took a big bight. Last Saturday, Cassie had been free, as for the Saturday before that do. How had she gotten so booked up all of a sudden? Tory and Christa came by with a big white cake box with "The Cupcake Factory" written on the side.

"It's Christa's birthday, so these are for both of you," Tory said gleefully. She handed each of them a chocolate cupcake sprinkled with shredded coconut, Allie's favorite. As soon as Tory set the cupcake and tiny pink cocktail napkin on the table, Allie lunged at hers. She took a delicious bight and looked over at Cassie. Chocolate with coconut was Cassie's favorite too, but unlike Allie, Cassie simply picked at the tiny coconut shreds, starring sadly and longingly at it. Allie didn't understand it all. She knew Cassie wasn't telling her something, but she couldn't figure out what or why.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

Allie sat at the dinner table silently while she ate her pepperoni and pineapple pizza. She reached for another breadstick and took a big bite. She knew her family noticed she wasn't talking much, but they must have decided not to say anything. Finally, Allie decided what she might have needed was a little music. She stood up from the table.

"I'm done," She said, picking up her paper plate and tossing it in the trash.

"Really," Her mom asked. "You didn't eat much,"

"I'm full," Allie replied in a whisper.

She trudged up the stairs to her room. They hadn't had it redecorated since Kindergarten. Big wire butterflies were hung on the lavender wall, and all of the white furniture was decorated with small, hand-painted, pink roses. Allie flopped on her bed, grabbed her green iPod, and turned on Firework. The song's beat had always distracted her from life. She listened to Katy Perry belt out the lyrics. She closed her eyes and played back Cassie's first competition. It was when they were six, and it was hosted by the gym's gymnastics camp, but it was still important. Cassie had won four gold medals and two silvers. It was when Cassie's coach told her she had talent, like _major_ talent. From then on Cassie began training four hours after school every day and nine on the weekends. It was hard for a six year old, but Cassie had been determined, and still was. She'd always been. She'd been the first tot in preschool to ever peak the jungle gym. As the chorus of the song came on, Allie heard her door click open. Her mom came in, sat at the foot of her bed and seemed to stare into space. Allie didn't remove her eyes from her iPod. For weeks, her mom and she had been in constant fights. Allie couldn't be good enough. Allie's mother sighed, looked at her shoes, and then looked up at Allie.

"Look Allie, your dad and I just want to let you know that the way you're treating your school work, priorities, and us is not acceptable," She said.

Allie crammed her finger onto the pause button and looked up. Why was her mom telling this to her? Didn't she realize the pressure her parents were putting on her already. Allie sighed and looked her mom in the eye for the first time in weeks.

"This is unfair. I'm thirteen now and you still treat me like I'm five. Cassie's parents don't-

Her mom cut her off.

"Allie, you and I both know Cassie is more responsible then you. She does her homework on weekends, has a room worth putting in a home magazine, and is extraordinarily motivated. Maybe when you become that way, you'll have the opportunities that Cassie does." Allie watched her mom stand up, walk out of the room, and shut the door a little harder than usual. Allie plugged her ear buds back in and continued on listening to firework. It was now 7:00 and she still had the daily 100 math problems to do, and if she didn't cram in 30 minutes practicing piano, her mom would explode. She walked into the living room where the grand piano sat on the snow-white shag carpet. Allie plopped onto the bench and starred down at the keys. She hadn't touched them in two weeks. Allie searched through the drawers of the small dresser next to the piano, looking for something to play. She noticed a piece of sheet music on the polished coffee table, and went over to pick it up. It was Perfect by Pink. Allie picked it up and set it in front of her. There was something about the song that made her want to play it. The lyrics just seemed to match her feelings. Her fingers danced across the keys as she played. Allie made it to the second chorus, but then stopped. She just couldn't play anymore. She walked to her room, unfinished problems and all, and went to bed, but Allie didn't sleep that night.


	6. A couple comments from me!

Hi everyone! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Sorry if it's not that good, but I'm an amateur author, and I definitely suck at summaries. I know my chapters probably seem really short, but they're actually A LOT longer on Microsoft Word. Please review them!

Thnx a lot! Hope everyone of u likes it! :)


	7. Chapter 6

6.

Allie sat down in health class that Friday morning, the purple circles under her eyes matching the color on her mood ring: tired and stressed. Allie looked around at the empty tables and noticed she was the only person in the room. It was 7:25. She was actually early for once. At 7:30, Tory walked into the room and took a seat next to Allie. She began to go on about the football game that was tonight. She asked Allie is she was going to go. Allie was tired, and would have more than anything wanted to go home, curl up in her slippers, and watch her favorite movie, _The Clique_. The only reason why she was going to the football game was because Cassie was a cheerleader and she'd promised her that she'd go to every game when Cassie got on the squad last fall. By 7:40, girls began to take their seats, and by 7:55, the class was full. The 7th Grade Health teacher insisted that boys and girls take separate health classes. Allie pulled out her phone to text Cassie, but Mrs. Harrington, the girls' health teacher, walked into the room.

"Morning Girls," Mrs. Harrison said in her cherry, so-nice-it's-sick voice. Only two girls said good morning back. Mrs. Harrison set her things down at her desk and turned on the projector. A giant photograph of a cigarette with a big red circle and X marked through it popped onto the screen. The 7th graders had been working on a no smoking campaign for weeks, writing speeches, making posters, and doing all kinds of things to prevent smoking. Allie wasn't sure whether the campaign was working, though, because Cassie had dished to her over the phone last week that the older cheerleaders had been sharing cigarettes with some of the football players behind the bleachers. Mrs. Harrison passed out some poster board, pencils, markers, and colored pencils. Allie began sketching the drawing on the projector. She wasn't exactly feeling very creative at the moment. As Allie finished coloring the drawing in, the bell rang 9:00. Thank God, she thought. Allie slowly trudged to her locker. After 3 tries at the combination, the door popped open and an avalanche of books, crumpled papers, and a few days worth of Cassie's lunches fell on to the floor. Allie leaned down to pick them up, and two bony legs appeared in front of her. Allie looked up to see Cassie leaning down. She gathered several D- and "Late" homework assignments, as well as all the lunches, and tossed them into the trash bin next to the row of lockers. Allie sensed something was wrong. Cassie had dark circles under her eyes that matched Allie's, and her face was red and a little bit swollen.

"What's wrong? You look terrible," Allie asked, immediately regretting the comment at the end. Cassie gave her a sarcastic, "Thanks a lot" look.

"Thanks, same goes for you," She shot back. Allie sighed.

"I don't think I've slept in days," Cassie said, "And I'm not sure I should do the squad performance at the football game tonight either." Allie's eyes practically fell out of her head.

"What? Cass, you've got to do it! The cheerleaders suck without you, and it's the only reason why I'm going too! Why don't you want to do it?"

"My mom says I need to rest, and I am feeling kind of tired," Cassie answered.

"That's crazy," Allie said "You've never given up on anything to rest and I definitely don't want to see you do it now." Cassie considered this. Sure, she was tired, but it was true, when it came to gymnastics, more then half of the cheerleaders couldn't make the Westwood Tumble Tots team, and she was supposed to be the tip of the pyramid tonight, and if she wasn't there, the team would only have to fliers instead of three. Allie was right. She had to be there.

"Fine," she said "but you _have_ to be there, or else, I'm not going on."

"Sure," Allie said. She finished cramming her papers into her locker and pulled out her iPhone to check the time. It was 9:05, so passing period should've been up, but why hadn't the bell-

Cassie had already run down the hallway to class. Allie grabbed the first book from her locker and ran to the Algebra class room. She accepted her tardy slip from Mrs. Johnson, and sat down. Her homework was sitting on her desk at home (unfinished of course!). Allie pulled out the textbook she'd grabbed form her locker to start tonight's homework. It was Biology I. _Crap!_ Allie twirled a lock of fine, dirty blonde hair around her finger and stared at the clock as the big hand struck twelve. _1 minute down, 59 more to go._ She sighed. In Allie's world, Algebra was a complete waste of time that made health sound fun. At least she had the football game tonight. It was probably the only thing today that wouldn't turn into a complete disaster.


	8. Chapter 7

7.

Allie slowly eased her way through the crowded bleachers. The cheerleaders were on in two minutes. Tory, who was always there to support Christa, waved her over and motioned for her to sit with her. Allie, who was juggling a hot dog, a bucket of popcorn, a churro, and lemonade, sat down, put her food next to her, and popped the cap on the lemonade. She had offered to get something for Cassie, but she'd refused. Mike, the loud speaker guy at football and basketball games, announced the cheerleaders…

Cassie stood in front of the mirror in the cheerleaders' locker room. Most of the eighth grade cheerleaders referred to it as a dressing room, just because they'd lined up every good smelling product for hair and body on the counter and had sprinkled glitter on the floor, but Cassie wasn't sure it exactly qualified. Annie and eighth grader who was a favorite among the coach and always covered her elephant ears with giant headphones, a.k.a the cheerleaders' co-coach, walked in the "dressing room".

"Be on the field in two," She shouted, probably trying to hear her own voice through her thick headset. Cassie knew why Annie had settled for the position as co-coach. Even though she said she was ten times as important as every girl on the squad, Annie had tried out for the team, but didn't make it due to her white t-shirt covered stomach that bulged out like a mixing bowl above her waist, and that Annie would give up every t-shirt and collectable pair of headphones she had to earn a spot at the bottom of the pyramid. Cassie stared back into the mirror in front of her. It had been four months and she still looked like a squash. She walked over to the bench, where her hair supplies sat. She ran glitter hair gel through her competition style pony, and sprayed down the top of her head with strong hold hairspray to keep any loose hairs from straying. Annie came in a called out in her loud voice that it was time to line up on the field. Cassie put down her hairspray and hair glitter and shuffled out the door with the other excited cheerleaders…

Allie watched the cheerleaders walk onto the field and take their positions as Mike came over the loudspeaker.

"And next, we have a routine to Tik Tok by our 7th and 8th grade cheerleaders," He said, and the crowd cheered wildly. Ke$ha boomed over the stadium loudspeakers. While some of the eighth grade cheerleaders did weak jumps, Cassie and Eva, another 7th grade cheerleader, did back flips for ten yard lines. Tory tapped on Allie's shoulder and pointed to a dancing Polly the Polar Bear on the sidelines, but Allie didn't unglue her eyes from the cheerleaders. Finally, it was time for the pyramid. The cheerleader skillfully began to stack up on each other, slowly forming the big triangle. Finally, as Ke$ha ended the song with her strange little giggle, the pyramid was complete, with a beaming, yet exhausted looking Cassie at the top. Allie wasn't sure she'd ever been prouder. Cassie hadn't thought she could do it tonight, but she did, and she had rocked the routine way better than any of the eighth graders. That was when Allie noticed something. The Cassie on top of the pyramid was no longer smiling. In fact, she looked as if she was almost struggling to breathe. Allie held her breath. She was just hyperventilating, right? Cassie had been through days of training that were much more grueling than this tiny little cheer routine, and she'd still chugged on, but now Cassie looked in trouble. Allie couldn't believe what she saw next. She opened her mouth to scream, but couldn't force anything out. Coaches rushed onto the field. Polly the Polar Bear stopped dancing and mimicking the jumps, and Mike was speechless. Allie quickly pulled out her iPhone, but Tory stopped her. All she could do was stare at the coaches who were checking the pulse of the cheerleader who had fallen backwards off the top of the pyramid and now lay lifeless on the field: Cassie.

Please tell me what you think! I added a poll to my profile on whether I should continue this story or not. Please take it so I know, and please review, even if you don't have a fanfic account!

.Justin Bieber


	9. Chapter 8

8.

Allie lay face down on her pillow and let the fresh, salt-water tears seep into the zebra printed fabric. Cassie's mom had promised to call when the doctors found out what had happened, but that was at 7:00. It was now going on 1:30 A.M. and the phone hadn't made a sound. Allie's mom knocked, then came in without bothering to wait for an answer. She sat on the edge of the bed, like she usually did when she needed to tell Allie something important but didn't know how to say it. Allie glanced up at the phone on her side table, and then buried her face back down in her pillow. Allie's mom seemed to get the hint.

"Allie, its 1:32 A.M. They won't call tonight, I promise you," Allie's mother told her a little sternly, but sympathetically. "If they get the message tonight, they'll call us around 9:00 or 10:00 A.M. The best thing you can do for yourself is get some rest," She said. Allie lifted her tear streaked face from her pillow and looked doubtfully at her mom.

"But what if they do call tonight, and I miss it cause I'm asleep," she said, her voice teeming with fear and exhaustion.

"I'll get it and tell you the results in the morning, I promise," Her mother said. Allie considered this. She was very tired, and maybe a little sleep would help the pain go away.

"Okay," She finally agreed. Her mother pulled her in for a hug, and Allie changed into her pajamas. She lay in her dark room with a small reflection of light on the wall from the neighbor's porch lamp. She couldn't sleep. The ugly memory of Cassie's eyes rolling in as she just slid of the pyramid was on replay, and the screams of the cheerleaders below couldn't be muted. Allie wondered what could have possibly caused it to happen. Could someone really just faint like that for no reason? Allie felt tears sneaking to the corners of her eyes, and immediately pushed them away. She was in no mood for crying right now. Tomorrow was Saturday, and she had a piano lesson. If Mrs. Joan caught her falling asleep at the keys, she'd get chewed out for sure. She had to find away to get some rest. Counting sheep didn't work, and not even jazz piano could shut her mind off. Just as Allie was about to give up, the image of Cassie doing back handsprings at Westwood replaced the pyramid memory. Allie smiled to herself, and began to count one number up every time her hands touched the floor. It seemed to do the trick, because in no time, Allie drifted off into a dark, dreamless, sleep.


	10. Chapter Comment

It kind of ticks me that my chapters seem so short on fanfic when they're a couple pages in reality. Got any ideas on how to make them seem longer?


	11. SOS

Hi everyone! Sorry if you've been following, but im not sure im going to continue buried deep. It hasn't been getting a lot of comments, and im not sure where to go with it next. No one has voted on the poll I've put up (I put a poll on my profile on whether I should continue BD or not), and I've only gotten one comment. (it was a good comment. Thanx!) If u don't want me to stop writing, please post a comment (preferred) or vote on the poll. If I don't get anything in two weeks, im going to delete the story. Pleases tell me what u think!

-trublu16


	12. More Comments Sorry

Okay, so I was going to quit writing this story, but after some absolutely amazing comments, I'm writing again. Since it's summer (yay!) I'll definitely have more time to write. You can expect a new chapter tomorrow! (Actually, I might be busy tomorrow, so possibly the day after that.)

-trublu16

(sorry about all the "authorscomments" I've been writing lately.)


	13. Chapter 9

9.

Allie took her seat in health class at 7:50 sharp. It was a little late, but due to the oversized health room, Ally was able to find a seat away from the cluster of girls oohing and ahing over a Teen Vogue Magazine. Mrs. Harrison walked into the room and signaled to put everything away.

"Morning Girls," she said.

"Today, we're going to learn about something that you may have already learned about from past teachers, friends, or possibly your parents, but instead of relearning the basics, we're going to be studying how it may affect our minds, careers, and even those around us."

With that, she uncapped a red Expo marker and wrote on the board: EATING DISORDER

Allie had heard the word before, but had never really known much about the real disease. Mrs. Harrison began writing bullet points on the symptoms. It hit her right in the forehead.

Generally happens in girls and women ages 10-30

Disorientates the body image to the patient's eye

Tricks the patient's eye into thinking that their normally thin or healthy weight body is fat and overweight.

Causes the patient to want to lose weight

In terms of Anorexia Nervosa, a patient may starve herself, causing her to become sickly underweight, yet still not noticing

In terms of Bulimia Nervosa, a patient may overeat, or binge, at meals, then force herself to vomit or overdose laxatives shortly after, in order to dispose of the food faster

Symptoms of Anorexia may be:

Constant Dieting

Refusal of food when offered

Constant and intense exercising

Eating Disorders can appear in anyone, but are seen often in models and athletes.

That. Was. It. It had to be. All the symptoms were right there. How could she not have noticed? The untouched lunches, skipping normal activities for exercise and training, and being lower on energy than usual, it was everything Mrs. Harrison had just written. Allie felt tears burning in her eyes, but she didn't bother to push them away this time, she didn't bother to push them away. She just hid her head deep in her arms, and let them out silently.

"Allie, is everything okay?" Mrs. Harrison called from the front of the room. She felt the eyes of every girl in the class focusing on her.

"Yes," she said in the most non teary voice she could. The rest of class carried on. Mrs. Harrison discussed what an eating disorder could do to the career of an athlete or a model, and how some overcome it, and others aren't so lucky. At 9:00, health was up, and the bell sounded more glorious then the Handel's Messiah that Allie heard in church every Christmas Eve. Allie stood up, more than ready to leave the hot, stuffy health room.

"Allie, will you please stay after class for a minute," Mrs. Harrison asked, no, more like told her. Allie sighed. She had been hoping to get to her locker before the hallways were so crowded that it was hard to move. She put her stuff back on the table, and waited until everyone cleared the room. Mrs. Harrison sat on the corner of the table.

"Allie, I'm greatly sorry about what happened to your friend. Just know, I'm also the school counselor, so if you need anything-

"I'm fine. I'll cope on my own. Thanks for asking," Allie said, and without waiting for a reply, walked out of the room. She didn't want nor need any advice from Mrs. Harrison. Allie slowly squeezed her way through the traffic of passing period. After three tries, she got the combination on her locker and began rummaging through some lose papers. Allie noticed something out of the corner of her eye. It was the 8th graders on the cheerleading squad, the most popular girls in the whole middle school, and they were walking right toward her. Those girls never talked to her, and when she stood next to Cassie when she talked to them, they didn't even pay her one glance. Morgan, the head cheerleader with loose, brunette curls, spoke first.

"Hey Allie, we're really sorry about what happened with Cassie," she said. How did Morgan even know her name?

"Yeah, it's really sad. If you want to eat lunch with us, you can," said Peyton, a tall blonde who was second in command of the popular posse. Allie thought about it. It probably would have been every girl in Parkview Middle School's dream to sit with the cheerleaders, but Allie knew her jeans, green converse, and purple sweatshirt wouldn't blend with the short skirts, cashmere sweaters, and high heels that the girls were wearing.

"Thanks, but no thanks," she said. Allie already had special plans on where she would eat her lunch.

"Oh, okay," said Autumn, probably the meanest girl in the posse. Allie had even heard that Autumn had practically set a record for going out with (almost) every guy in the 8th Grade. It was obvious to Allie through the fake disappointment expressions in their faces that none were fazed by her decision. They just breezed on by, as if the whole conversation had never happened.

History and Science flew by, considering that Allie wasn't exactly listening to _anything_ the teacher had to say. Finally came lunch. Allie grabbed her orange lunch box (she believed in consuming paper) and headed for her planned lunch destination: the football field. She found a nice patch of grass with a full view of the field and sat down. She couldn't believe that only three nights ago, probably the most horrible thing that had ever happened to her in her life so far had been right there, on that field. She remembered crying rivers when she got home, asking god what in the world had she done wrong, and even pinching herself, hoping to wake up and see the normal, energetic Cassie by her side. She had hoped that it was only a dream, and that she would be able to forget about the whole thing as soon as she woke up, but it wasn't. It was reality, and life just wasn't that easy. Allie finished up her lunch, went back to class, and dragged through the rest of that miserable day. Allie dashed home. Cassie's mom hadn't called over the weekend, but Allie was pretty sure she knew what it was. Allie unlocked the door and walked into her house. As she passed through the kitchen, her mom stopped her.

"Allie, Cassie's mom called today," she said.

"I know, it was anorexia, I get it. I need to go-

"Allie, we need to talk," Her mother interrupted her. Allie could feel the tension in the room building, and she immediately knew what her mom was about to say was not at all good.

"Well, you're very smart, and your right, Cassie passed out on that pyramid from an eating disorder that has gone un noticed for months now," she said

"The good news is that they are 90% sure she will live," she said.

"And the bad news…" Allie continued for her. She just knew by her mom's tone that there was some coming.

"Well, the bad news is, well, she's in a coma," her mom continued.

"Oh," Allie said, feeling a knot build up in her throat.

"I'm not finished," Her mother replied. Allie saw tears forming in the corners of her mom's eyes. She braced herself for the even worse news.

"Cassie fell backwards off that pyramid, and it was quite a long fall…" Her mom paused, thinking of the best way to put what was coming next.

"Well?" Allie said, growing anxious

"She's paralyzed, waist down, for life."


	14. Chapter 10

10.

Allie sat by the football field the next day at lunch. Thinking about what had happened the previous night was too hurtful. She'd thought she'd hallucinated at first, and then realized that it was true. The whole night she'd been crying into her pillow, and when she woke up at 1:30 A.M, screaming, she was glad her mom was there to coax her back to sleep. That morning, the circles under her eyes had been even bigger than usual. Allie took a bite of her sandwich. The peanut butter was too chunky to her liking and the bread tasted stale. Allie heard something behind her and listened more closely. They were footsteps. She quickly whirled around, hoping it wasn't a teacher. She had had enough of all the teachers holding her after class to apologize for something that wasn't even their fault, but it wasn't a teacher. It was only Christa, yet this time, she lacked her polar bear head and Tori. Allie turned back around and tried to ignore her. What could Christa possibly want from her? Christa sat down next to Allie and looked ahead, staying silent. Finally, she looked back at Allie.

Hey, I heard about Cassie," she told her, probably trying to fill the silence.

"Yeah, I know," Allie answered. She wasn't in the mood for talking.

"Well, I just want to tell you I'm really-

"Sorry," Allie finished the sentence coldly. "Everyone is, and it's getting annoying. I'd like to be able to walk down the hall once and think without having some teacher or student I've never even seen stop me and remind me of the worst night of my life," Allie shot. Christa stayed silent, obviously shocked and hurt by the comeback she'd gotten for being apologetic, and Allie sensed it.

"Sorry," she said, this time in a quiet, teary voice, upset at herself for being rude.

"It's okay, I know how it feels," Christa answered after a few seconds of silence.

"How?" Allie asked. "Tori is happy with herself and isn't in the hospital right now! How would you know what it feels like to come close to losing your best friend when yours is always right next to you?" Christa sighed, and looked Allie in the eye.

"Do you remember how last year I was absent for a week in November?" She asked.

"Yeah, but you told everyone you were in Hawaii, what does this have to do with anything?" Allie was becoming confused.

"I wasn't in Hawaii, I was in North Carolina. My cousin, Claire, was the same age as me, and we'd always been really close. We liked the same things, and were always texting, calling, and writing each other. It was in early August, just when Claire went back to school, that she started writing to me about a couple of popular girls who were making fun of her weight. She started to write to me about losing weight, diets, and all of that. You're pretty lucky Cassie chose the route she did and was caught before nothing serious happened," Christa said. Allie felt anger flooding from her insides.

"Lucky? LUCKY? No one in the school knows this, but Cassie's paralyzed in the hospital right now. How would you feel if your best friend was paralyzed?" She screamed, but Christa still stayed calm and relaxed, still speaking in a regular tone.

"Claire was my best friend. She was more than my best friend. We were like sisters. Claire didn't choose to starve herself like Cassie did. Claire just couldn't take it. I wish she'd become anorexic, but instead, she had to commit suicide. That's where I was that week, at her funeral," Christa finished, still as calm as she was when she'd first began talking. Allie suddenly felt her stomach drop. Christa was right. At least she still had her best friend. Christa's was dead. She'd never see her again, and Allie felt terrible.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered. "Does anyone else know?"

"Tori does," Christa said. "Tori used to live next door to Claire, and they were pretty close. Not as close as we were, but still pretty close, so she was pretty devastated too. I met her at the funeral, just a week before she moved down here, and it really benefited both of us just talking about it." Allie smiled. She was glad that someone understood what she was going through. She looked at the clock on the football scoreboard. It was time to head back. As she stood up, she remembered something that might break the silence that had stood for a couple seconds.

"Hey, can you believe Peyton and Autumn weren't in the posse today? I haven't even seen them the whole day," She said.

"They've been expelled," Christa said.

"What?" Allie asked in shock.

"Yeah, they found a video of them in the cheerleader's locker room. They won't see who the subject was, but they were calling someone fat and overweight, and they even told her she needed to lose about 20 pounds."


End file.
